Room second hand smoke eliminator

ABSTRACT

A portable system vents smoke from tobacco products to the outdoors. The system has at least:
         a) a frame defining a volume;   b) a support for an ashtray in the volume at forward in the frame;   c) a rearward opening in the frame; and   d) a fan located adjacent or within the opening with its blades positioned to draw smoke away from the ashtray when the fan blades are turning.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of room air cleansing andparticularly to removing tobacco product smoke from rooms with aconvenient and even portable device.

2. Background of the Art

Even if the well-documented and hard scientific evidence of directhealth risks from smoking tobacco products were not sufficient reason,and even if the risks from second hand smoke weren't intuitively obvious(even if pockets of resistance to that cause and effect still persist),the offensive smell and contamination to residences, furniture andclothing should be sufficient reason to attempt to reduce persistentsmoke residue from rooms.

Regulation of smoking has progressively diminished the number of sitesavailable for smoking and relegated them to inconvenient locations.Secondhand smoke is a mixture of the smoke given off by the burning endof a cigarette, pipe, or cigar, and the smoke exhaled from the lungs ofsmokers. This mixture contains more than 4,000 substances, more than 40of which are known to cause cancer in humans or animals and many ofwhich are strong irritants. Exposure to secondhand smoke is calledinvoluntary smoking or passive smoking. To avoid exposure of nonsmokersto secondhand smoke, smoking is prohibited in most indoor public spaces,and regulation of smoking in outdoor public spaces is increasing.

Among the results of the such regulation is that smokers are moreacutely aware than ever of where they are allowed to smoke, and thepopulation of smokers is more and more dense in sites where smoking isallowed. The segregation and isolation of smokers can be exploitedcommercially through, for example, providing attractive locations forsmoking for a fee and therein offering goods, services, and marketingmessages tailored specifically for smokers (“targeted marketing”).

Published U.S. Patent Application No. 20070243809 discloses a AutomobileSmoke Vent allows smoke from cigarettes, pipes, and cigars to exit thevehicle without letting conditioned air out (heated or cooled). It alsoallows the smoke to escape without letting rain or snow in. Theinvention allows minute amounts of condition air out along with thesmoke. The adjustable swing arm is a dramatic help in limiting the sizeof the opening between the window and the invention. The swing arm isimportant, in the fact that it makes the invention adjustable to fitmany different make and models of cars and trucks. The adjustable swingarm takes the guess work out of fitting the invention to car and trucks.When constructed of clear plastic the invention will not hinder thevision of the people in the vehicle. The invention can be used foradvertising by various related manufactures, such as cigarette makers,cigar makers, pipe makers, radio stations etc . . . . It is compact andfolds for easy storage.

Published U.S. Patent Application No. 20070181000 air quality deviceincludes a housing defining an airflow path, a humidity control modulein flow communication with the airflow path, and an air contaminantremoval module. The air contaminant removal module comprises at leastone of a particle removal module arranged within the housing, an odorremoval module arranged within the housing, and an anti-microbial modulearranged within the housing.

Published U.S. Patent Application No. 20060027242 surrounds the smokingproduct itself, such as where a cigarette or cigar is contained withinan enclosure. The enclosure comprises filters that reduce tar output tothe surrounding atmosphere. The device has a mouthpiece that collectsand introduces additional oxygen into smoke prior to the smoke beingingested by the smoker, thereby reducing levels of carbon monoxide, andoxidizing components of the tar.

Published U.S. Patent Application Nos. 20030186641 and 20030129936discloses a room ventilator for venting smoke exhaled by a smoker from aroom to an exterior location. The room ventilator has an intake unitlocated in the room for drawing in smoke exhaled by the smoker, an airpump for producing an air flow to draw the smoke into the intake unitand exhausting the smoke to the exterior location, a connecting tube forconnecting the intake unit to the air pump, and a window outlet adjusterfor mounting in a window which enables a connecting tube to pass fromthe room to the exterior location. The window outlet adjuster hasadjustable flaps for forming a barrier between the room and theexterior. Another embodiment is a ventilating unit having first andsecond sensors for respectively detecting the presence of first andsecond air pollutants at an interior location and starting an air pumpwhen at least one of the first and second air pollutants is detected, anintake unit for drawing in the detected air pollutants, and a ductconnecting the intake unit to the exterior for venting the detected airpollutants.

Published U.S. Patent Application No. 20010049927 describes a modularair circulation and filtration unit, which can be conveniently installedin any conventional drop ceiling, as well as, other types of ceilings isdisclosed. The circulation and filtration unit includes a housing, anelectric rotary blade fan assembly, and one or more air filters. Thesealed housing is shaped and dimensioned to approximate the panel spaceof a conventional drop ceiling or the joist spacing of conventionaljoist ceilings.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,523,544 discloses a fan-assisted ashtray includes ahollow body having a lid for closing an open top thereof; a tray memberfor containing ash from a smoker's article; a filter member locatedbelow the tray member; and an electric fan located below the filtermember for drawing air and smoke into the filter member and forexhausting air to the exterior of the body through a vent. The filtermember extends across an entire horizontal sectional area of the body.Other “smokeless” ashtrays are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,542,438;5,259,400; 4,996,995; 4,883,224; and 4,671,300.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,987 discloses a system of casino tobacco smokeelimination based around a series of slot-like air intakes in which slotlength is at least twice as great as slot height. In a preferredembodiment air velocity measured at the slot mouth should be about 1300feet per minute, and a properly operating slot intake should provide acritical air capture velocity of about 50 feet per minute measured sixinches from the slot mouth. A screen is preferably placed over theintake vents to prevent unwanted items from being pulled into thesystem. The suction system powering the slot-like intakes can end in afan/filter unit that removes smoke pollutants and returns the cleanedair to the room, or the smoke laden air may be exhausted to the outsideby the buildings air conditioning-ventilation system which also providesconditioned fresh air to replace the exhausted smoke. The configurationof the present system may be used in connection with numerous gamingdevices, such as gaming tables, slot machines, video bars and nongamingstructures such as restaurant booths and bars. When configured for slotmachines, the intake vents are placed above and to the sides of the slotmachines.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,545 discloses a portable smoke removal devicewherein major and minor smoke streams given out during smoking aretemporarily stored in a storage section by means of a forcible suckingdevice. The storage section is taken out to the outdoors later, and thestored smoke is exhausted. The forcible sucking device comprises fans, apump, or the like, or it utilizes the gravitational force or springforce.

In spite of these many efforts at providing products that reducepersistence of smoke within a room, it is desirable to find moreconvenient and alternative structures for removing smoke from tobaccoproducts from rooms.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A window placement carrying system is provided that can be set into roomwindows. The system will contain at least a holder for an ashtray and amotor vent carrying air and smoke from the room and ashtray outside ofthe window. The system may be collapsible and may be adjustable to fitdifferent size windows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a partially collapsed system for removing smoke.

FIG. 2 shows a system for removing smoke from a wall that has beeninstalled in a room window.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The technology described herein includes a smoke venting systemcomprising a surrounding frame, a vent hole for a fan, a support for anashtray wherein the frame can fit or be adjusted to fit into an openwindow and the fan is either removable from the frame or built into theframe. It is preferred that the frame be collapsible to facilitatetransportation of the smoke venting system from window to window, roomto room and house to house.

It is also desirable to have a frame that has adjustable extensions invertical and horizontal directions so that the system can be used withwindows of different sizes. The composition of the frame shouldsimilarly be made of a light weight material and preferably a fireresistant material. There is no need for smoke filters in the system asthe objective is for direct emission or venting of the smoke from thetobacco product to the outdoors, with as little persistence as possiblewithin a room. To this end, an ashtray is preferably placed within avolume defined by the frame and, with the fan motor running, smoke isimmediately vented from the volume to the outdoors with as littletechnical complexity as is possible. A smoker would likely positionhimself near a window where the system was installed, and repeatedlyplace the cigarette within the volume, on an ashtray when not inhaling.This minor inconvenience would be a courtesy to the people in the roomand would reduce the persistent smoke emission into the room. This wouldsignificantly reduce second hand smoke effects and reduce smoke odors inthe room.

Reference to the Figures will assist in an appreciation of thetechnology described herein. Identical numbers in the different figuresrepresent the same or similar elements of the system.

FIG. 1 shows a partially collapsed frame 2 for insertion and fittinginto a window. The partially collapsed frame 2 is shown as having twoopposed horizontal moving flaps 10 and 12, two vertical moving flaps 6and 8 and a back layer 11 that will be positioned closes to the outsideof the window opening. This embodiment of FIG. 1 is shown with anopening 14. Into which the blades and frame of a circular fan (notshown) would be fixed or removably inserted. A support 16 for the fan isalso shown. An ashtray support 18 is shown where an ashtray would beplaced and cigarettes (or other smoking items) would be placed. The fanwould be positioned in the frame 2 so that smoke was drawn from theashtray out of the window, through opening 14.

The frame 2 is shown with two slidable (they may also be foldable oraccordion in function) panels 20 and 22 that slide from within or alongthe back layer 11 so that the frame will better fill a window opening orframe. Vertically slidable panels (not shown) inside or along the backlayer 11 may also or alternatively be used to provide a better verticalfit into a window.

The two slidable panels 20 and 22 are shown closing the hole 14 byabutting along area 24. That area 24 is shown with a gap, but the gapmay be closed so that the opening may be closed between the room and theoutdoors. When the panels 6, 8, 10 and 12 are fully extended, they willform a rectangular (approximately) volume with the back side 11. Theremay be additional flaps or extensions (not shown) adjacent the panels 6,8, 10 and 12 to provide additional structural support to the frame,acting as struts.

The structural material used for the frame my be any structuralmaterial, with cost and weight being a primary concern. To that end,cardboard, polymeric foam, paper board, plastic and composites arepreferred. Coatings may be placed on the cardboard and paper board(especially) so that residual smoke deposits can be wiped from thesurface. This would reduce the level of smell of the smoke from beingcarried around with a portable frame.

FIG. 2 shows a window 30 and frame 32 having a system 2 of FIG. 1installed therein. A fan 24 is positioned within the frame so that itsblades 26 drive smoke and air outside. The base 28 of the fan 24 isseated against a floor 34 of the frame, rather than on a special support(16) as shown in FIG. 1. The ashtray 36 is positioned between the roomand the fan 24 so that smoke is drawn away from the ashtray and directedoutdoors. The panels 20 and 22 are shown extended so that they betterseal the window 30.

The technology described herein may be generally described as a portablesystem for venting smoke from tobacco products to the outdoors. Thesystem may be generally described as:

a) a frame defining a volume;

b) a support for an ashtray in the volume at forward in the frame;

c) a rearward opening in the frame; and

d) a fan located adjacent or within the opening with its bladespositioned to draw smoke away from the ashtray when the fan blades areturning.

The fan may be removable from within the frame without damage to theframe. The volume is defined by a rear section and four panelsprojecting perpendicularly from the rear section to form a rectangularvolume. Two additional panels in the portable system may be able toslide parallel to the rear section to expand the dimensions of theportable system. The four panels may be able to fold flat against therear panel. A support for the ashtray is on a lower element of theportable system. The frame preferably comprises cardboard. The twoadditional panels may be able to cover the rearward opening when movedtogether.

Although specific descriptions are provided in the disclosure of thistechnology, the concepts claimed herein are to be regarded as genericdescriptions that are not specifically limited by any specificdisclosures. The size of the system, the power of the fan, the materialsused to construct the system may be varied by one skilled in the art.

Additional features may be present in the system such as an intelligentcontrol of the use of the fan motor. For example, a particle/smokedetector may be present to adjust the speed/rate of the fan such thatwhen a cigarette is not present the fan may operate at a first speedthat is slower than a speed when smoke is sensed in the vicinity of thedetector and the system. The first speed may be an OFF function if theabsence of smoke occurs over a predetermined length of time. The rate ofgas movement by the fan may change by at least 25% from a conditionwhere little or no smoke is detected to a condition where smoke isdetected above a certain level. The smoke detection element of a smokealarm can be used for the sensing of the level of smoke, and a typicalrheostat or energy control device can be used to control power to themotor of the fan. Either electrical outlet connections (preferred),battery operation and/or solar power (as the device is in a window) maybe used with the system.

1. A portable system for venting smoke from tobacco products outdoorscomprising: a) a frame defining a volume; b) a support for an ashtray inthe volume at forward in the frame; c) a rearward opening in the frame;and d) a fan located adjacent or within the opening with its bladespositioned to draw smoke away from the ashtray when the fan blades areturning.
 2. The portable system of claim 1 wherein the fan is removablefrom within the frame without damage to the frame.
 3. The portablesystem of claim 1 wherein the volume is defined by a rear section andfour panels projecting perpendicularly from the rear section to form arectangular volume.
 4. The portable system of claim 3 wherein twoadditional panels in the portable system are able to slide parallel tothe rear section to expand the dimensions of the portable system.
 5. Theportable system of claim 3 wherein the four panels are able to fold flatagainst the rear panel.
 6. The portable system of claim 1 wherein asupport for the ashtray is on a lower element of the portable system. 7.The portable system of claim 3 wherein the frame comprises cardboard. 8.The portable system of claim 4 wherein the two additional panels areable to cover the rearward opening when moved together.